


Invented Development

by paisleygoddess



Category: In/Spectre, 虚構推理 - 城平京 | Kyokou Suiri | Invented Inference - Shirodaira Kyou
Genre: BEING IN LOVE DOESNT MEAN BEING IN THE RIGHT MIND, F/M, Masturbation in the Shower, canon universe but major canon divergence, dumb dumbs being DUMB, i'm posting romance when i am a romance-phobe RIP buT HeRe wE GO, mostly fluff with minor angst(s), mostly fluff with minor banging(s), mostly fluff with minor plot(s), sexy times but please don't ask me to explain here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:42:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24724741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paisleygoddess/pseuds/paisleygoddess
Summary: a series of event inserts from when they met again to the lady steel arc (possibly post-lady steel arc too).
Relationships: Iwanaga Kotoko/Sakuragawa Kuro
Comments: 7
Kudos: 52





	1. Six Months

So.

It finally came to this.

Kuro took a deep breath, pushing his head back against the tile, stretching his neck that terribly longed to be kissed. The smallest feeling — even if it may be by his own hand — felt so sweet. When did he become so sensitive? His cheeks flushed red as he neared his limit, and oh god, was he at his limit.

“Fuck,” he cursed under his breath. “… _fuck!_ ”

The cold water poured down his head, waking him up from his thoughts. He was panting like a thirsty dog in the shower, which, he guessed, wasn’t so far off, considering his current predicament. Once his mind caught up to his body, the shame made him move quicker. He cleaned the rest of the soap off his body, cleaned his shower walls, and then sprayed some more cold water on his face. It was the third time this week, and it was getting out of hand (a little too literally).

Kuro stared at his reflection as he applied lotion to his face (a habit he formed from dating the oh-so-responsible Saki, of course). To the testament of his immortality though, nothing was wrong with him. There were no eye bags, no wrinkles, and definitely no indicator that he was eating unagi every night of the week (which he wasn’t, but still). What the hell was wrong with him lately? It concerned him that he wasn’t this, well, _concupiscent_ when he was going through actual puberty. Yet, here he was at 22, behaving like a spring chicken.

He paused.

Maybe this _was_ his immortality? Maybe he was just aging slower than normal? Though, he did read a study in middle school that stated human males officially stopped growing around the ages of 16 to 18... and if he was being honest with himself, he didn’t look much different from then, besides his cheekbones being more prominent after the last shed of his baby fat left his face.

Wait, was that it? His baby fat was the last of his innocence?!

He slapped himself hard, harder than what was appropriate, but he needed to wake himself up. Seriously, it wasn’t like he was a virgin anymore. That ship sailed as soon as Saki got her own apartment, and he visited her during summer holiday, but the AC broke so, of course—

 _No_.

If there was any ship out of sight and out of mind, it was _that_ one. As soon as she graduated, that punctual ex-girlfriend of his moved to a different city without another word to him. By now, she probably found her new favorite eating spot, and eyes were probably turning from every direction because she was that beautiful. He recalled them being in high school, and how popular she was despite her directness and no-bullshit attitude.

He took a second to laugh. Yeah, young and good-at-sports Saki was a _tsundere_. She would mouth off to any wrongdoers before immediately feeling bad for yelling. Then, of course, there was that brief period of her failing to correct him when she was transitioning from “Yumihara-senpai” to “Saki-san” in his eyes…

She was really cute, he remembered fondly.

His mind only kept sacred of the time they met to when they got engaged though. The times after that, neither of his heart — _or his conscience_ — could take the idea of her being miserable right now, especially when… well, that’s an entire story in _itself_.

Kuro crashed down onto clean sheets, preparing for bed and losing track of time, after such a long day. After moving Rikka into the Iwanaga’s estate (as well as month-long yokai cases and their finals), today was the day that the Goddess of Wisdom herself finally took his offer for a lunch date. After six months of being boyfriend and girlfriend, they finally acted like a couple. Not partners-in-crime, not as The Lady and The Bodyguard, or whatever you called their work relationship, but an actual _couple_. 

God, why was he still acting like a spring chicken?

He slapped his cheeks some more before throwing the blanket over himself. He really needed to relax. In the six months alone, Kotoko-chan — _no,_ Iwanaga _, as he promised_ — already made herself comfortable in his life. Besides the casual stalking ( _besides?_ ), their schedules had been pretty intertwined anyway. When they weren’t working, he accompanied her to her checkups (when he said he’ll pick her up and visited Rikka as he waited), had dinner with her parents (with Rikka there too, of course), and they studied at the library together (well, near each other, because she liked to lay all her materials out at once). Iwanaga even had his spare apartment key (though she would still ring the bell and said it was impolite to intrude on a single man in his private quarters). They were probably—

 _Wait a minute_.

Kuro threw the covers off from his face, staring at the ceiling with dull eyes and a tight smile.

The past half year, everyone complained that Iwanaga was clinging onto him desperately… but did _his_ presence even make a difference? She would go home immediately after her checkup, and his cousin had been the one inviting him over to eat, telling her parents that he was a poor college student. Then there were times in the library where she only had a single book… and the only time she ever visited his apartment was to ask for assistance on cases. Not even all the cases, but _some_.

Suddenly, he felt irritated, changing the meaning of the tight smile on his lips.

No, she had the crush on him for two years beforehand… right? _It’s Iwanaga_ , he convinced himself. She wasn’t going to act like a shy teenage girl nervously approaching her love interest when they met again. She’s assertive, conniving even. Her family ran several businesses, and she was planning on studying law. Nonetheless, she’s been the Goddess of Wisdom before they even met, so not much surprised her. She was a refined girl, too. This was just her first relationship—

 _Yes_.

He was her first boyfriend, ever. They were definitely dating. He wasn’t just her bodyguard.

Kuro took a deep breath.

As long as he wasn’t getting paid, then he was her _boyfriend_.

He buried his face into the pillow, screaming internally but not outwardly to disturb his neighbors. Once he was done, his mind recalled the Iwanaga that actually acted like his girlfriend (and not his sponsor). He wasn’t acting like a spring chicken just because. Saki told him once that these kinds of feelings were human, and even if he wasn’t completely one anymore, they were still real. (His mind pushed away the fact Iwanaga told him that the yokai saw him as a demonic platypus, because even though she was one of the rare people who saw yokai as they were, she saw the human him.)

After their incident in the library and their hospital meet the day after, they sat on the bench and talked. She admitted some more about her two-year-long crush, and how she’d even been getting other couples together so the gods would bless her back. He had told her that doing things with the selfish intention to be with him was the complete opposite of what the gods wanted.

“But aren’t you a god yourself? How would they smite their own?” he questioned, crossing his arms and knitting his brows. “Doesn’t seem like a fair trade.”

“‘ _God_ ’ is certainly an embellished title, but I’m not want to be religious anyhow,” she explained, looking away at some birds passing. She really did look like a doll, he noticed. “Many affluent families are conservative and practice a more western lifestyle with Christianity. I like a more traditional approach. In the spectrum, I probably identify as Buddhist. So, your in-laws won’t mind if you don’t care for church, Kuro-san.”

 _In-laws_ , he caught then. He had sighed, “You’re pretty sure that we’re going to get married. I’m immortal, you know. Not having a death certificate can nullify our marriage over time. Plus, it hasn’t been long since my last engagement.”

“Kuro-san,” Iwanaga said, cheeks puffed and pink. _What an expression on a pretty face_. Should he have not brought up Saki? Suddenly, he felt like he was in trouble.

“Yes?”

“Without a death certificate, that would mean you’d be married to me _forever_ ,” she said.

 _Ah,_ so that was that was. She’s still a girl, after all. He wondered.

“Yeah, so? Is that not what marriage is?” he asked, innocently.

Within seconds, his composed girlfriend had seemed to have lost her cool. She was pulling her short curls to hide her face, not that it helped. He wanted to laugh, but thought it would be rude. She was more human than he thought.

However, her expression quickly changed. She was suddenly ambitious.

“Yes, of course,” she muttered to herself, slamming a fist into an open hand, “If our marriage has no end date because of your immortality, then we’ll be married forever! By that logic, if you were to date after me, then I have the right to haunt you forever because it’ll count as infidelity!”

“That sounds like I’m going to be punished!”

“If you cheat on the woman who’s loved you unconditionally since she was 15, then you deserve to be punished, Kuro-san!”

His face became hot then. He was somewhere between impressed and terrified. He quickly rebutted, “ _But Kotoko-chan_ ,” he added a serious stare as a countermeasure, “if you die, then our marriage is no longer valid! I would be widowed, and the laws of this country would recognize that I’m single. I’m going to school to be a family lawyer, you know!”

“ _K-kot_ …”

Did he go to far? Was the stare a bit much?

“Call me _Iwanaga!_ Iwanaga, Kuro-san! My name is _Iwanaga!_ ”

“Sorry, sorry!”

_Yeah, she was definitely his girlfriend._

Kuro chuckled at the memory fondly. Many more moments like that had occurred in the past six months, and it was really unfair how many sides Iwanaga had to keep him on his toes. Sometimes, often times, it was easy to forget that she wasn’t this all-mighty being with all the answers to the universe. Spectres, yokai, humans — she put on a good front to fool a lot of them, but she was still sweet. Pure. Innocent. _Untainted_. 

Was he a creep for wanting to mess her up? Outwardly, he’d been careful to not look criminal, like earlier when they went to the restaurant and immediately unclasped their hands once people started whispering around—

Yes, their first actual date from earlier. His mood changed instantly.

He had called to ask her if she wanted to study today, but she was already accepted into his university. There weren’t any pending cases either, so it wasn’t like she needed to look up information anyway. Rikka said she was going to go shopping for art supplies with the maids, and most of his papers were finished. Today had been their first actual break.

“Um, Kuro-senpai, it’s come to my attention that you asked me something a few months ago that I unthoughtfully declined,” she started, and he could hear her fidgeting, “Baké-Danuki sent his thanks in an unlimited copy card since I print so much material—”

“I guess that’s more useful than usual offerings,” he replied. At the time, he was making breakfast. “So, how about it? Do you want to go to the library today? I think all our papers are done, but we can just get ahead of the new year. I have my first-year stuff still.”

“But Senpai, _studying_ isn’t what you asked me to do that day.”

“It’s not?” his mind replayed that cold May day, and he immediately regretted his word choice, “Ah, I asked you to lunch, didn’t I? We’ve had so much meals together that I forgot…”

She laughed, “I’ll forgive you, but you’ll need to forgive me for my late realization as well.”

“Oh, really? You’re not upset? You’re a lot less loud than I expected you to be.”

“Because I want to see you, Senpai. There’s no nerves, just excitement.”

“ _Ah_ ,” he accepted that his soup was now being marinated with his plastic ladle. “Well, the offer still stands. I’ll treat you to lunch. Want to go?”

“I’ve been craving something fresh and light since there’s been a lack of rain. You like sashimi, don’t you? You’ve been mentioning it lately that it was your favorite thing as a kid.”

“Huh? I did?”

He couldn’t even remember the last time he even intentionally ate sashimi. It always brought back to when he was 11, and at his Grandmother’s house.

“Far and few between, but I pay attention.”

His eyes quickly searched around his room for any listening ears.

“I _am_ your girlfriend, you know. You don’t like to talk about yourself, so I enjoy the very rare times you let any information about yourself slip!”

“Aren’t you a god? Shouldn’t you know things about me anyway?”

“Hmph!” he could imagine her cheeks puffed on the other side of the line. “Senpai, I’ll send a messenger with the address where you’ll meet me. I expect you to tip generously! Goodbye!”

Before he could bicker back, Iwanaga had hung up. So, she _did_ pay attention to him. Everything she knew wasn’t just stuff learned by eavesdropping spirits. Admittedly, that gave him relief.

An hour later, one of the fox spirits had slipped a paper under his door, and that’s when it finally occurred to him what was happening. This wasn’t a meeting, or research. It was an actual _date_.

Not only that, but his first date in nearly a _year_.

His mind scrambled for the last time he did anything romantic. It didn’t help that the first thing came to mind was the kappa ruining his and Saki’s relationship on New Year’s Eve, him being rejected on Valentine’s Day, them breaking up the following month, his depressing April of being single for the first time in years, and then Iwanaga’s confession that first day of May… which just led to solving mysteries for six months. It didn’t help much that before that New Year trip, he and Saki were studying for exams to do anything at all.

Yeah, that figures why everything made him so… _tense_ lately. It didn’t help that Iwanaga became so restless since snow had arrived now. She naturally just touched him, more than Saki (or anybody, for that matter) did. Whether it was grabbing his hand, jumping onto his back, or making him _carry_ her; none of it was ever strange. Hell, by this point, he even kind of missed it when she wasn’t touching him! He would never admit that to her, of course — _or anybody for that matter_ — but who would hate the touch of someone who thought of you preciously? When you’ve been without it, it’s intoxicating.

That’s why he wished — no, he _needed_ — Saki-san to be admired and happy right now. It wasn’t fair that he ruined her life, and he got to live like this.

“Senpai! That turtleneck fits you really well. I didn’t know you had such a piece in your closet,” a voice came behind (and below) him. He had been standing in front of the address Iwanaga sent him for five minutes. The air started to smell like fresh linen.

Kuro turned around, piqued.

Instead of her usual dress and frills, she wore a one-piece, dark green pantsuit. It would’ve been revealing, but she paired it with a white turtleneck, a light brown trench coat, and matching brown boots. She managed her curls into a small ponytail, but most of her hair had fallen around her face anyway. Iwanaga never needed makeup because her face was too delicate and pale to make even the subtle color a little too much… but maybe, just maybe, he didn’t hate that at all.

“Senpai?” she watched him carefully. It didn’t take long for her to notice he was looking at her outfit. “Oh, you’ll have to forgive me. Rikka-san took my maids out a bit longer than expected, so my mother let me borrow one of her casual outfits. I figured you’d dress casually too, but you’re not in your usual printed t-shirts.”

“Hmm?” he looked down at himself as he forgot that he was the one to dress himself. “Oh, I got this shirt as a present. I thought if we were going out, I should match you a bit… you’re usually wearing something more extravagant.”

“I see,” Iwanaga looked away. He said something he shouldn’t have.

“Actually—”

“Well, should we enter? They say winter is the best time to eat raw fish, after all!” Iwanaga smiled, turning her toes to the door. She tapped the door with her cane three times.

Kuro exhaled, feeling like he missed his chance, He changed the subject, “I feel like you’re lying. What is this place anyway? You’re not kidnapping me?”

“Senpai, you willingly traveling to this place is more like a mouse ignoring the metal rods around the cheese, is it not?” she laughed, as if her words weren’t threatening at all. “Kidding. The person who resides here both happens to be a wonderful chef, and a person who owes me a favor.”

“Oh, I see… but aren’t I the one who’s supposed to be treating you?”

“Nonsense, Senpai! I’m still looking forward to this as a proper date,” she looped her arm with his. He barely flinched now. “You see, the ojisan here decided to turn his life around and run a private restaurant in his very living room. I told him I’d visit after he’s had a handful of customers. I haven’t seen him since I was in middle school.”

“That’s kind of you, I think. How did you meet exactly?”

Then, quickly, he pulled Iwanaga back as the door swung open, and a man with a knife and arms inked in cherry blossoms stood with a cigarette in his mouth. The sunglasses indoors were also an interesting choice, Kuro guessed.

“Whaddaya’ want? Can’t ya’ see this a private residence?!” barked the old man. The ash of his cigarette grew longer as they stood there. Kuro didn’t fear death, but he didn’t like making people upset. Call it his curse.

“Uh, sorry, sir, we’ll be on our—”

“Ah, so yer’ finally back, Iwanaga- _sama_. Ya’ haven’t even grown an inch!”

“Tatsu-san, you’re using the knife set I sent you!”

The two chatted like army comrades reuniting after a decade of separation. Kuro caught his breath. He really needed to stop being so surprised at his girlfriend’s ability to charm just about anyone and everyone (though, in their defense, Iwanaga’s personality was also an acquired taste for many). Iwanaga then introduced him as her boyfriend, and Tatsu explained that they met when a middle school girl unexpectedly turned up in his old group home to exorcise a ghost. (Tatsu’s “old group home” was a yakuza safe house, and the spirit was of someone’s relative, Kuro learned after.)

When they entered the home though, the house was actually decorated quite stylishly. The furniture was modern, and the living area had six small filled tables aligned besides each other. The guest ranged from an older traditional couple, to Tatsu’s “former” friends, and even a young couple with a child. They were seated at the edge, closer to the kitchen bar, when a pregnant woman came and brought them a tokkuri of sake and a single cup.

“Kotoko-chan, yer’ not of age and it wouldn’t be ladylike for a girl like you, so ya’ can pour it for your chaperone here,” their waitress said. Iwanaga shot her a glare.

“He’s my _boyfriend_ ,” she corrected the woman. “I told you on the phone that I would be arriving with my boyfriend, Hina-san!”

“Heh, really?!” Hina then turned to him, making him sweat. “Ya’ can’t date anyone yer own age, kid? Ya’ gotta have something wrong with ya’ if yer’ dating Kotoko-chan!”

Kuro saw it as his chance to redeem himself from earlier. He put their intertwined hands on top of the table, explaining politely, “Yes, Iwanaga’s my girlfriend. We’ve been dating for six months now, actually. She’s not as bad as many would think.”

Hina, however, quickly did the math aloud, “We met Kotoko-chan when she was 12, so this year she should be 17 turning 18… Kuro-kun, ya’ look about 24, 25, so—” she _gasped_ , before grimacing at him, “Kuro-kun, I heard smart guys have weird fetishes, but that’s too much!”

“It’s not like that! We’re taking it slow! She approached me!” he just started spouting out defenses as Hina tried to accuse him more of lecherous things, and he held his hands up, begging for her to quit it already. The old man from the other table was staring at him strangely now.

“Hina-chan! Leave the kids alone!” Tatsu scolded as he carried two small plates to their table. He settled them down, and it was fried shrimp. “Y’all have to excuse her. The brat’s been makin’ her crazier than usual.”

“But Yuto-san, what if our daughter dates a smart guy like Kuro-san?! Before we know it, she’ll be a sex slave and trapped wearin’ sailor uniforms every day even though she’s an adult!”

“What’re talkin’ about?! We got together when ya’ turned 15, and I was 25!”

“ _Yuto-san! You make it sound like I was easy!_ ”

Kuro sat and watched the two bickered next to him. He tried to explain that he just turned 23, and Iwanaga was now 18, and how they didn’t even have their first _anything_ yet.

“Hina-san is the reason why Tatsu-san wanted to leave his group. When I met them five years ago, she was 21, and he was 31. He wanted to pursue his dream as a sushi chef so he could provide for her,” Iwanaga’s voice cut through all the noise. Kuro automatically turned and watched. She was pouring him warm sake with both hands. “They were on the verge of breaking up then, but now look at them, married with their fifth baby on the way!”

“ _Fifth_? In five years? Isn’t that tiring?”

“Love is both rash and impatient, Senpai. I’m sure to Tatsu-san, every child is evidence of their love,” Iwanaga said sweetly, and he was almost touched. Kuro waited a minute, and she continued with a generous laugh, “Of course though, by that logic, you can count how little they have sex with each new member! Maybe Tatsu-san’s pent up!”

The three of them seem to have shouted variations of her name all at once. Iwanaga only laughed as she ate her singular appetizer neatly, patting her mouth with a napkin right after.

Tatsu and Hina eventually calmed down, a bit red at her words, and returned to their jobs. Kuro thought of scolding her, but then let it slide because they were on a date, and for some reason, he wasn't eager to leave his seat. Tatsu served them soup, several plates of different kinds of sashimi, and some rice. Though it was a simple dish, Kuro thoroughly enjoyed the cut of the fish, and Tatsu’s spin of traditional sauces. It was still the same sauce, but unique in its own way.

Iwanaga kept pouring him more sake through every course, and they chatted more of the mundane things. They talked about the _rakugo_ she watched, desserts that they wanted to try, and some of his professors at H University. She told him more of her oddly specific dreams, and he told her that she was too demanding.

“Kuro-kun! I’ve underestimated ya’!” Tatsu came with their last dish and 5th tokkuri of sake. “Any brother that can hold his alcohol is a brother of mine!”

As the chef left in a hurry, Kotoko held the long, white bottle once more. She smiled sweetly, “Senpai, I’ve always wanted to pour my lover warm sake over sushi,” the way she blushed was always pretty to him; her cheeks looked like hakuto jelly, specifically the one that looked like a peach, “If you were wearing a loose yukata, it would be all the more better!”

“You just want to stare at my body. You don’t fool me,” he took the small cup, and drank it. He sighed, “Is there another god I can report you for sexual harassment?”

“Nonsense, we’re not in a business relationship. I told you that I wanted to date you—”

“—with the intention of _marriage_. Yeah, I remember it. Vividly, too. I think I lost an arm for agreeing,” he grimaced, not regretting anything one bit.

“ _Hmph_. Well, I can’t really help that you’re the equivalent to rat poison now, can I?” Iwanaga snarked back, letting the sake spill a bit. Kuro settled the overflowing cup down, and stretched his neck around, ignoring her little outburst.

By then, his usual retort would’ve been defensive as it was violent. However, the food was good, the drink was good, and the company wasn’t too bad either. It was far too late to feel awkward around Iwanaga, but maybe he never cared to put on a front for her either. She didn’t care, so he wasn’t going to waste so much effort as he did before.

“It really has been six months already, huh?” he let slip loosely.

“Are you ready for your bi-annual evaluation report, Senpai?”

“I thought we weren’t dating for business.”

Kuro settled in his seat, letting the rice and fish settle in his stomach for a bit. Tatsu’s home-slash-private-restaurant was lively, but homely. Kuro considered the place he was in six months prior, the shame of being caught and the guilt for betraying someone he loved for a long time. He was so determined to live alone, but now, here he was, getting poured warm sake over sushi by his lover.

“So, give it to me. How am I doing?” he said, entertaining her ideas as usual.

“Well, then, I’ll continue,” Iwanaga dabbed her lips with a napkin, still a person of class despite what came out of her mouth. Kuro was prepared to be sexually harassed.

“Your quality of work with the yokai has exceeded all my expectations. I can tell that your body has grown a bit of muscle since you’ve been traveling with me. Indeed, I am losing the scale to determine your sexiness. It really is unfair how handsome you are, Senpai,” she told him.

He let out a defeated sigh, “The gods really should’ve created an HR department for you.”

“You’re my _boyfriend_ ,” she reminded him, “Any forms of romantic and sexual inquisition through compliments and promised favors can be seen as me being a loving girlfriend, not an abusive boss.”

“How scary,” the self-healing immortal snorted.

“You do have other good points, though. If I was your boss — _which I am not_ — I’d say you’re punctual, reliable, flexible, and great at decision making. Now, if we can just work on your communication skills…”

“Sorry, boss, but being seen in public with you has already caused me great trouble with the police department. Being verbally romantic will only cause me more pain—”

“ _Kuro-senpai!_ ”

He caught the chopsticks being thrown at him, and finally let out his built-up laugh.

By the time their late lunch was over, and he tipped Tatsu generously, the sun was slowly setting. The snow fluctuated around this time of year, so the sidewalk was still clear enough to walk. They held hands as usual, but their usual concerned glances turned into looks of admiration. Not that he was surprised, he knew people thought his girlfriend was cute. Even if she wasn’t wearing intricate dresses or dolled up, she was very much pretty.

Kuro offered to take her home, so they decided to walk to the bus stop instead of calling for a car. He glanced over to see if his pacing was fine (which it usually was since she exercised regularly), but all he noticed that she wasn’t wearing some kind of skirt. He guessed that the cold weather called for it though. He remembered girls in high school complaining about being forced to wear skirts in winter despite the heavy snow.

“Iwanaga, did you dress up for me?” he asked, not looking for any answer in particular.

“Why do you ask, Kuro-senpai?” she looked up at him.

“I think you said once that your maids pick your clothes out for you, right? So, this outfit… it would mean that you picked it out,” he quickly remembered, “Plus, your mother’s taller than you. The hem of your pants seemed tailored to you.”

“Have I been caught? I thought I should look more adult standing next to you… considering all our public outings and all,” Iwanaga sighed. “I know I’m not your type, Senpai, but there are times where I do want to play the part. Rikka-san never fails to remind me so.”

Kuro paused, considering, “Is that so bad though?”

“ _Huh?_ ”

“Being my type, I mean. You don’t need to be anyone else for my sake,” he explained; he wouldn’t wish that on anybody. “Just be yourself.”

“You say that, but you don’t say nice things when I’m actually being myself,” she puffed her cheek, and turned the other way.

“I don’t know about that. You’re pretty likable when you’re not lying, evading answers, or manipulating yokai and humans,” he admitted, (and she was,) but her intelligence and problem-solving didn’t bother him. It was her lack of sense when it came to danger. That’s the reason why he’d died more in six months than he had in the past decade.

“You make it sound like I’m _awful_.”

“Go ahead and deny it. You’re a liar to me already.”

She swung her cane at his chest, but he had no reaction. They found a bench near the bus stop, and decided to sit down. The sun was beginning to set so everything around them was pink.

“Senpai, if I’m such a bother, then why don’t you break up with me already? If we go our separate ways now, it’ll hurt less than when we’re married with two children, and my last name’s been changed,” Iwanaga sighed, defeated. “If you hate me, just do it. I won’t kick Rikka-san out.”

“I don’t hate you, Iwanaga.”

“Then why don’t you act more like a boyfriend to me?! Boyfriends are supposed to push you against the wall, make promises to do indecent things, and kiss you wildly after consuming heavy amounts of warm sake!” and there went her wild imagination again.

“In the two years that you stalked me, have you ever even seen me be affectionate with Saki-san? Who even behaves like that?! Guys who do that go to jail!”

“I know in this petite and delicate form, I may not be gifted with fun bags of fat and marshmallow-like thighs to fulfill your male appetite, but I still want to be treated womanly!”

“I’m not dating you for your breasts or your thighs, Iwanaga! Relationships aren’t just perverted things, you know!”

“I am a woman with _needs_ , Senpai! I want you to be _inside_ —!”

Kuro immediately pushed his hand around her lips, begging for her to stop and burying his head in shame. She punched needlessly at the back of his head for a minute until she was just annoyed. When all failed, she licked the palm of his hand.

He jolted at the sensation and slipped as Iwanaga went on and on about him being ungentlemanly. Kuro caught himself by grabbing onto the wood of the bench. As he laid there, catching his breath, his angry girlfriend climbed on top of him, making him lose all the air he had. Before she could press her weight against him, his right hand protected the front of his jeans, making Iwanaga blush as her mind ran too many scenarios and outcomes as she sat on his wrist.

Within seconds, they were sat on opposite sides of the bench, trying to compose themselves silently. He wasn’t hard, but he wasn’t soft either and that just made Kuro want to die — like, actually die and not come back because eternal rest sounded better than talking about it. He prided himself in being a calm, polite, and _good_ guy. It wasn’t like he was a lecherous boyfriend that had sex on his mind all the time. He liked the women he liked because they were more than pretty, more than their bodies.

“Kuro- _san_ ,” Iwanaga began, being the braver one of them as always. “I apologize for putting you in an uncomfortable situation. If you never want to see my face again, I’ll understand.”

Now, he felt bad. If she looked at him and his red ears, then she would know that wasn’t the case. However, if he said that aloud, that would just be dirty, and he just wanted to go back to normal now.

“Iwanaga, I don’t think you understand me sometimes,” he said, crossing his legs before he sat up straighter. He exhaled loudly, “I’ve only had one girlfriend, alright?”

“You don’t need to keep rubbing Saki-san in my face.”

“No, Iwanaga, that’s my _point_ ,” he really hated admitting this, especially to her, “Saki-san was my first and _only_ relationship. Before her, I was just a normal kid in high school that didn’t care to date. My experience has only been with _one_ person, and even then, we weren’t overly affectionate. Saki-san was mature, so I found myself always matching my speed with hers. This, you, everything — I’m not used to it, so you’ll have to find it in your heart to forgive me, alright?”

There was a long pause. When he thought Iwanaga would be a pink and pouty, he glanced over to find her thinking with her chin between her fingers. She had no sassy retort. He knew that she was trying to understand him.

He wasn’t sure why but something inside of him ached upon realizing that.

“Alright,” Iwanaga said, calmly, “I’ll forgive you… but you’ll have to forgive me as well.”

She took a deep breath, catching all of his attention.

“I’m not as cool or as mature as your former lover, and I’m not going to force myself to be. Something about you just crawls under my skin, so I can’t stop what I feel,” she explained unwillingly as well, “I live my life being respectable and modest as the Goddess of Wisdom, and as the heiress to the Iwanaga Group. It’s constant work having to uphold an image, but I do what I have to. It’s the duty I carry every day.

“But I’ll be honest with you, _Senpai_ . I’m not this composed person. I’m jealous, I’m clingy, I’m petty; and if we’re being completely truthful, I can’t wrap my head around why Saki-san would ever leave you. In fact, it pisses me off that being immortal is a con because I _want_ you to last forever. I want to know that you’re _safe_. I don’t want you to ever feel like you need to hide that part of you. Any and all parts of you is just another part I get to adore.”

His head was beginning to spin. Kuro buried his face in his hands. How was any of this fair?

“You’re… you’re really honest, aren’t you?”

She had no response, just a nose in the air and a bottom lip pouting.

“Iwanaga,” he sighed, twiddling his thumbs together. “Iwanaga… I’m not like you. I’m not really an honest person. I thought I was because I try not to lie, but I don’t think I say what I want to say either. It must be difficult for you to deal with me.”

“But Kuro-senpai, that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to try and—”

“I know, I know, let me finish,” he tried to smile, but he knew it came off as uneasy instead, “Before, it didn’t matter to me, whether I was telling the truth or not. As long as I wasn’t causing trouble, I thought I could live normally. In a way, being a good boyfriend, a good cousin, or a good student — all of these things were my duty. They weren’t jobs like yours, but I put a lot of work in, trying to decorate parts of myself so I could ignore what I didn’t show.

“But I see now it wasn’t my responsibility to put on these different masks. I was just lying to everyone and myself… I’m not a good guy at all, you see. I’m selfish, I’m clumsy, I’m a cowardly monster, and on top of that, I’m a liar.”

“Senpai…”

“But I don’t know anymore,” he adjusted his seat, facing his body towards her, leaning in. “I met this girl, and all my buttons get pushed. I get embarrassed more often than I should, and I’ve raised my voice more times in the past six months than my whole life. I’m always in danger, and when we’re doing normal things, I look like a creep. She calls herself my girlfriend, but it’s taken us months for our first date. Not to mention, she says she wants to do vulgar things, but as I’m looking at her this closely, her face is all red and her eyes look scared…”

His usually collected and unfazed girlfriend tried to slowly back away, but he grabbed her hands just in time. Kuro was staring at her now, watching her lips part.

Iwanaga, however, never said a thing.

“She has all these fantasies about me, but she never acts on it. She doesn’t realize that I have my own thoughts and visions too. So, tell me, as a goddess of wisdom, what am I going to do about her?”

Their faces were only an inch away from kissing as he asked her his question. The air between them smelt of alcohol and fresh detergent. The hand that wasn’t held crept up slowly to his face, shaking. His heart was beating mad in every direction. He may have been considered scum for moving on so quickly from his engagement, especially to someone younger than he was. However, after six months of denial, here they were — borrowing her words from earlier — _pent up_.

“I can’t answer your question if you don’t provide an offering first,” her warm breath in the cold air felt like it was breathing back life into him. “I’m a greedy god, though. There’s no turning back once you give yourself to me. I won’t let anybody else have you.”

“How many times do I need to die for you to believe me, huh?”

As Kuro recalled their kiss on the bench, he lied in bed with a busy mind of vivid thoughts and unfair visions. He recalled her tongue tasting sweet, the touch of her skin being soft, and all the huffing and puffing that came afterwards. He took the bus home alone after he waited for a car to come pick her up. Any longer, he would’ve actually been the criminal they accused him to be.

If he was being honest, it was getting harder to hold back. What felt like forced destiny before actually seemed like fate with a purpose now. He was aware that his feelings were changing, and there was no running from it.

He was loved. Undoubtedly loved.

All he wanted to do was cherish her back. She lived a life serving everyone else, so he wanted to live his life serving her. This was the kind of love he could offer, and the one he wanted to be consumed by. She’d granted him a new will, and he wasn’t going to let it go to waste.

But now that he wasn’t haunted by insecurity, another menace was taking over him at 2 in the morning. He wondered how much of Iwanaga’s time could he take without it destroying her life. She was a lone heiress, yes, but what about the next generation? Saki-san’s concern about children was one that he couldn’t deny. Nonetheless, his bloodline was cursed with impure hearts. With the Iwanaga’s fortune and resources, he could only imagine a world of evil.

He also wondered how he would feel if she were to ever leave him. Sometimes, he thinks that she’s just going to disappear one day, and he wouldn’t have a say in any of it. He wouldn’t have the right anyway. When she finally decides that she wants something normal, and finally sees that it isn’t with him, his destiny of being alone would be fulfilled. His karma for ruining Saki’s life would be repaid to him by a tenfold. He was destined to be doomed since he was 11.

But was it so wrong for him to want things? Was it so bad that he thought he deserved a chance of happiness too? Frankly, the last time he was kissed, he spent the rest of the night listening to vomits of his loved one. Was it against the universe for him to have an actual good day?

Kuro felt himself sobering up to his reality, but he didn’t want to let go of this life he had now. Before, he would’ve been content living a life alone; but now, he had the taste of something wonderful and nothing seemed duller than a lifetime of meals by himself.

Maybe it’ll hurt more if he let their relationship go on, and maybe he was being selfish, but he decided that the day Iwanaga was done with him, he would quietly disappear. Perhaps the pain he could’ve felt now would grow exponentially by then, and he could die in peace.

However, until that day actually came, this was the only thing he was going to live for.


	2. Eight Months

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> eight months into this so-called "relationship"

Her vanity was aligned with untouched lipsticks, blushes, and powders. Most, if not all, of them were gifts from family friends, encouraging her to look more adult. She tried a few, but she ended up looking like a Russian nesting doll — and not the beautifully detailed first one, but the _unruly_ blotchy last one. If their packaging hadn’t been so pretty and metal, she would’ve tossed everything out. Her drawers were filled with notebooks about cases than makeup anyway.

“Kotoko-san, may I come in?” a knock from a fragile hand came at her door.

“When have you ever cared about not invading my personal space, Rikka-san?” the heiress quipped, yawning as her maids styled her for her appointment.

“You’re right,” Rikka trailed behind her, taking the brush from one of her maids, who went to go prepare her outfit instead. Kotoko expected her to twist her hair into knots, but the skeleton-woman was surprisingly gentle. “Kotoko-san, do you ever think about growing out your hair? It’s so pretty that it’s a shame it’s so short.”

“I’m afraid it would be a hassle for people to style my hair if it was any longer. Nonetheless, it’s easier for me to travel in different terrains if I’m not worried about my hair getting caught in things,” she answered matter-of-factly. Kotoko was known to evade answers, but she didn’t have any grievances about saying her actual thoughts. “I heard not a lot of faces could pull off short, curly hair though.”

“Doesn’t Kuro like longer hair though? His last girlfriend had long, smooth hair—”

“I would refrain you from talking about Saki-san in my presence,” Kotoko dismissed the rest of her maids, yawning into her hand. “Anyway, did you need anything, Rikka-san? I hope your stay has been to your liking. It’s more comforting than the hospital, is it not?”

“I saw more people in the hospital, I suppose… but your parents have been very nice to me. I get treat really well here,” Rikka was careful around her ears, as all the maids talked about how sensitive she was there since she was young. “That should be enough for Kuro not to worry, correct?”

Kotoko sighed, passing along the message she didn’t want to share, “Senpai apologizes for not visiting you more frequently. When he isn’t on a case, he’s been working several part-time jobs, so he hasn’t had time. He sends his regards, however.”

“How strange,” the older woman pondered, “Kotoko-san’s been leisurely going out more than usual, and he says he’s busy working. Are you seeing another man behind his back?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Infidelity is a sin that even the gods can't forgive,” the Goddess of Wisdom shrugged. “Plus, I have no eyes on anyone but Senpai. We have a wonderful, beautiful relationship.”

“Stalking someone isn’t much of a relationship, is it?”

They both paused, staring at one another through the mirror. 

“What does that say about your own relationship with him if he’s let you live with his stalker, then?” Kotoko questioned.

However, Rikka was only amused, “So, you admit you’re his stalker?”

“Rik— _ umph! _ ”

She felt her cheek being pulled by icy fingers. Rikka was so thin that everything about her was cold. Kotoko was getting tired of the Sakuragawa’s and their constant teasing.

A small laugh left Rikka’s wine-colored lips. Her sharp eyes turned sweet, and as they both stared into the small vanity again, she joked, “Your cheeks really are like dango. They’re so soft, Kotoko-san.”

Kotoko pushed her skeleton fingers away, huffing as folded her arms. All it ever did was make Rikka even more amused. She hated it, really hated it, but what got on her nerves more was the reflection in her vanity. As the immortal laughed in her hand, the heiress could still see a beautiful woman, one that could still be loved regardless what she did. 

It kind of pissed her off.

“Sorry, Kotoko-san,” Rikka always used her first name every chance she got, even knowing her feelings about it. “You’re so easy, and it makes me want to mess with you more.”

The younger held up her hand, begging, “Save your sadism for your lover, woman.”

“Sure,” she said, making a seat on the vanity desk. Rikka skimmed her hands along the stationed lipsticks, pulling one out of the line, and checking the color label at the bottom.

Kotoko had a feeling that she already knew what it was though.

The older woman finally asked what she wanted to ask, “Kuro is meeting you at the hospital, correct? Before you lie, I saw the maids pack one of his thermostats again.”

“Yes, he’s meeting me, and we’re going grocery shopping afterwards. We’re having dinner at his place and he’s helping me research cases with some guests,” she answered, fixing her bangs a bit. “I’d ask you to join us but the yokai are barely getting used how Kuro-senpai looks.”

“If you were to ask me, I’d decline anyway. Your parents and I have plans. We’re going to see the horses,” Rikka told her, staring at her nails. “They’re attachment to you has been fortunately transferred to me.”

“A baking class, painting supplies, and now a secured outing with plenty of guards…” she spoke from a tired experience. Kotoko then turned, gasping loudly, “Maybe they’re trying to prevent you from going senile, Rikka-san!”

Rikka flicked her between her eyes, making her way out. As she stood by the door, the older woman sighed, “Kotoko-san, that part of you is tiring, y’know? Have fun with Kuro. Hopefully I’ll see you tonight when we get back. If not… _well_ , then… I'll see you.”

Kotoko pulled down the front piece of her hair, trying to cover the reddening mark. When she realized it was no good, she fell back onto her seat, relaxing her shoulders. She felt the komainu traveling up her legs, settling themselves on her lap. She wanted to relax, but her mind was elsewhere. It wasn't completely lost, however, because she knew exactly who it was with.

She and Kuro had a lack of cases. The ones they did have were minor, and were finished within the hour. She got most of them done while he worked his part-time jobs anyway. Then, whenever the other was done, they would meet, share a meal, and would go on their separate ways. They talked on the phone here and there, but it was hard to make conversation when talking _isn’t_ what you wanted to do.

After they parted ways from their first date, time only seemed to make things awkward. Without any cases, there really wasn’t an excuse to be around each other. She wanted to see him, of course, but all his jobs got swept by the holiday rush and she was a stand-in for her parents at many winter parties. They didn’t see each other until Christmas, but being in a house with her family and Rikka-san wasn’t exactly an aphrodisiac. Every time he would be glancing her way, there went his dear cousin striking up a conversation, or her parents asking him to put up with decorations.

Kotoko scratched her head, suddenly irritated. Their Christmas gifts had also been a ruined moment. That day, she had excused the both of them to her room to exchange presents, quickly before dinner with Rikka-san and the rest of her family. As soon as they were alone, she had closed the door and sat him down on a seat she had by her closet. They’d agreed on a small budget, so it wasn’t like she bought him a house; but she had put in a lot of thought of what he could use. Kuro was a simple man; so, she got him a tie as a congratulations upon entering his graduate program. 

He said he was surprised it wasn’t a gag gift, but she’d shopped for it for hours one afternoon that she couldn't even be upset. She was just happy to have it in his hands after holding onto it for so long. It was going to look absolutely handsome on him.

“Senpai, can I tell you another one of my dreams?” she had told him, adjusting her present around his neck. “I’ve always wanted to tie my lover’s tie and send him off to work with a goodbye kiss. He’d taste like coffee, and I’d say, ‘ _ Now, that’s how you wake up! _ ’”

Kuro gasped playfully, “Wow, this was actually a thoughtful gift then. Should I save it for your husband?”

Kotoko attempted to slap his forehead, but he already caught her hand, lowering it. He wasn't even a bit fazed. Nonetheless, she was still excited for her gift. She'd been practicing how to tie the knot in secret, even asking some yokai to be a stand-in for her boyfriend.

“Still… do you like your present, Senpai?” she had asked quietly, but her body buzzed around like an excited puppy getting praised. “The man at the store told me that red ties showed a loud man’s strength, but yellow was as powerful as it was humble in its statement. They say that a man in a yellow tie isn’t afraid of a challenge!” she told him vigorously. It was that exact statement from the salesman that she thought it was perfect for him.

Kuro only offered a laugh though, “Well, if I was scared of challenging things, then I wouldn’t be dating you, would I?”

“Are you saying I’m challenging?!” Kotoko pulled at his cheeks, stretching his face like mochi. He was smiling too much to care about it.

“Let’s just say there hasn’t been a dull moment since we met,” he said, settling her onto his lap. Once she was secured, he pulled out a brown-paper-wrapped present from his jacket. “Now here’s your gift… I don’t think it’s as extravagant as your parents’ gifts, but I saw this and bought it.”

Kuro didn’t need to have a long-winded explanation for anything. She preferred him to be direct and to the point anyway, even if she complained every now and then. Immediately, she was ripping apart the paper and unveiling a leather good. 

It was a notebook holder; one with a long string to wrap around itself thrice, and a sleeve that could carry business cards, a pen, spare paper, and whatever she desired. Kuro had already placed a notebook inside along with a silver pen. On a sticky note in front of the notebook, he had written: “ _ To Iwanaga Kotoko. Merry Christmas. Congratulations. _ ”

His handwriting was a bit messy, but standard. She didn't say much about it, but peeled off the note to place it between the pages so it'd be more safe.

As Kotoko flipped through the pages, she noticed the notebook was printed in both grid lines and college-ruled lines. The leather wasn’t new leather, but it was soft, matted, and a bit scratched. She had been given so many glittering and shiny things this year (and every year up until now) but this was vintage and long-lasting. It wasn’t for delicate hands, but working ones.

“Senpai, one wouldn’t give a refined woman something so old and functional. They’d usually aim for something expensive and decorative,” she spoke quietly, grazing her hands along the face of the holder. The texture was inconsistent, but smooth. He must have spent more money than their agreed budget for such a find.

“If you don’t like it, then too bad. I can’t return it. The couple that ran the store were elderly,” he replied, looking up at her. “They said it was durable for traveling, and it’ll last regardless of the weather conditions. I thought it'd be useful for you.”

She laughed with a smirk that wouldn’t leave her lips, “Sorry, Senpai, but this isn’t a traditional gift that boyfriends give their girlfriends. You’ll have to do better. I’ll appreciate this until your next idea, however, so you have some time.”

“C’mon, don’t be so picky,” Kuro’s hand found its way to the side of her cheek. “If I bought you jewelry, it would’ve been out of the agreed budget. You don’t wear makeup either.”

“ _ Mmhmm _ ,” she nodded, but she would’ve agreed to anything he said at that moment. Her thumb ran along his lips. It had been sometime since their first kiss, and he deserved some kind of reward (and maybe, so did she). “You did well. Can I offer you a return gift?”

Then, as she savored the seconds before their lips touched, there entered a skeleton of an intruder. In the next moment, her bottom was on the floor, and Kuro was panicking. Every time Kuro was near Rikka, it was like he reverted back into a child.

“Kuro, Kotoko-san, dinner’s ready. I hope that I’m not intruding,” but she knew. The skeleton always knew despite her lack of common-sense disposition.

“Ah, thank you, Rikka-san. I’m going to wash my hands and I’ll be there,” he coughed. His ears were redder than pickled shouga. Before he exited, he helped her back up before excusing himself.

Kotoko dusted off her skirt, shooting a glare at the intruder.

Rikka only lingered a bit by her door, laughing quietly, “Kotoko-san, I’ll leave you to collect yourself. Your family thought you’d fallen asleep.”

They didn't exchange a word for the rest of the night. In fact, Rikka had taken all of Kuro's time anyway, and she was busy opening all of her family's presents. There was so much that her boyfriend simply had to leave because it was too late, and he had work in the morning. 

Yes, and after that miserable holiday, January just flew by in a flash. Kuro did offer to accompany her from time to time, but something about their last meeting irked her nerves a bit — fine, _a lot_.

Because truth was, as soon as she met Rikka, Kotoko just knew. It wasn't hard to get the picture.

Sadly, her teenage brain had been flooded with Saki, and although she didn’t like it very much, she appreciated that Kuro’s tastes was actually more substantial than most men. She could make _peace_ that not only was that ex of his pretty and had long womanly legs, but she was smart, ambitious, and quick. She grabbed Kuro at his youth, and knew she had a good man! The nurses may have thought Saki's clinginess was annoying, but Kotoko didn’t blame her when the entire hospital stopped and stared, gawking at the young, healthy, polite, diligent, family-oriented, and tall Kuro. 

Because now that she had him, there was no way in _hell_ that she was letting him slip through her fingers.

But of course, Rikka was _another story_.

Rikka was a tie that Kuro could never sever. Whether they be bonded by blood or immortality, their relationship was more than complicated than most could ever endure. So, by default, whatever string his skeletor cousin could pull —  _ and she did _ — her beloved boyfriend would be nothing more than an immortal marionette. 

Nonetheless, it wasn't that the older was hideous to look at either. Despite being skin on bones, Kotoko knew that Rikka was strikingly attractive, making her feigned sweetness even more appealing. It didn’t help that she was childlike at times, and needed help to do even the basic things (despite somehow figuring out most things when they weren't around).

_ Ugh _ _!_ _He was tasteless!_

Rikka was the embodiment of those weirdly realistic A.I. robots in those weird sci-fi movies. An all-knowing presence in a man’s life that’s somehow wrapped up in a hot woman that was born yesterday… which then, would make Kotoko the bratty, less attractive, second—!

_ It wasn’t fair! Absolutely wasn’t fair! _

“Kuro-senpai, why were you born male and horny?!”

“What?”

“ _ Huh? _ ”

The sound of the automatic glass doors closing behind her woke her up from her thoughts. She was at the hospital now, and Kuro was waiting outside the door with two hot drinks and a brown bag. Kotoko let out a sigh, hooking her arm with his forcefully, leading the way.

“I want chicken skewers with teriyaki sauce, Senpai!”

“Huh? Yeah, sure, but I bought us chocolate cake—”

“Ah, ah, _ah!_ C’mon, we have shopping to do!”

The walk to the grocery store went in silence. Even though she knew it was ridiculous and illogical, Kotoko couldn’t help feeling frustrated sometimes with Kuro and his popularity. She got it  _ already _ . She wasn’t his type, and she was a bad girlfriend for letting him die all the time! Yes, she was the worst person in the world — blah, blah,  _ blah! _

“Iwanaga, I’m sorry that we haven’t been able to meet lately. I figured I should save up before the semester starts,” Kuro finally let go of her hand to select a pack of chicken. He had unskillfully grabbed the vegetables with one hand, so she decided to give the other back to him. However, he turned around, and offered it back again.

Kotoko stared at it for a moment before moving onto the frozen section beside her. Though she preferred the art of things being homemade, there was something satisfying about stuffing oneself with a treat mass-produced and full of preservatives. That way, she supposed, eating wasn't so personal and endearing, but instead, she would be consuming science! 

And she wanted nothing more than to be filled with some kind of logic and reason. Slowly, she was beginning to forget what her life was even like before him and their relationship. Certainly, it included less headaches and less beautiful women having power over something she held preciously.

“Kuro- _ san _ ,” she began, dumping bags of frozen dumplings in his cart, earning a quick look from him.

He clicked his tongue in disapproval, “I’m cooking for you, and you still need that?”

They then spent the next five minutes putting the bag in and out of the cart. After the seventh time, Kuro gave up and figured he’d store it in his freezer when he didn’t want to cook.

“You act like a spoiled child sometimes, you know that?” 

“Well, what can you do you expect? I’m an heiress,” she told him coldly.

Kuro clicked his tongue again, and she rolled her eyes. Within the next minute, they were irritably walking through the store, hand in hand. Not even the gossiping cashier had much to say about them as they paid, and went on their way.

They walked to Kuro’s apartment; the silence becoming more and more awkward as they reached his door. Once they were inside, Kuro took her coat and hat, put them neatly away in his closet, and they sat at the kitchen. She only sat with a pout at the counter as Kuro began prepping ingredients. Even the komainu situated themselves on Kuro’s bed, away from the both of them.

Kotoko turned her eyes to him, watching him carefully. His shirt was a bit looser, so he had lost some of his weight over the past month. Suddenly, she was wondering how many hours he’d been working. A self-healing immortal, he was, but Kuro wasn’t indestructible. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to die so much so easily. She witnessed it frequently enough.

The brown bag he’d been carrying was also right beside her. In a moment of distraction, she remembered that he bought a chocolate cake.

_Great_.

Kotoko scratched the back of her neck. Maybe she  was spoiled, but that was his fault now! He always gives in! Who wants to date a man with no spine?!

_ You _ , the more reasonable voice in her head reminded herself.  _ You wanted to date him, you idiot. _

Love was such an inconvenient thing, wasn't it?

The heiress then slid off her seat as Kuro began to run the faucet. Her small hands crept around his waist, tightening themselves. She didn’t want him to see her face (because her face wasn’t as apologetic as she felt), so she buried herself in his shirt. He flinched a bit, but calmed down, turning off the water.

“If you want to apologize to me, then apologize to me properly,” his hands were clutching the counter.

“I don’t want to,” she mumbled begrudgingly, earning a sigh of annoyance. She then looked up so her voice was clearer, “You’ve been my boyfriend for some time now. You should know how I feel already.”

“Are you going to tell me what happened? Why do I need to feel bad for being born male and—”

She groaned, immediately cutting him off, “ _ Ugh _ , can’t you just forget that? C’mon,  _ Senpai _ .”

Kuro unwrapped her hands to turn around, but found that she would only cling onto his front now. His hand ran through his face, giving up, “If you’re going to be upset, then you have to tell me why. I can’t read your mind. I didn’t eat any yokai that has that ability.”

She stared up at him, eyes glittering with almost tears. That was the first time he joked about his abilities, and she felt  _ touched _ . Her pout was now shivering, and her grasp was almost unbearable.

“ _ C’mon _ ,” Kuro began to fidget, looking in every other direction, “Whatever it is, I’m sorry. So, stop crying, alright?  _ Iwanaga _ .”

Kotoko took a deep breath, collecting herself and sucking any tear back into her. It was a little impressive, actually. However, she knew she had to make things right. It wasn’t fair, and the karmic retribution for something petty would only come back to her by tenfold.

“Alright, I’m mad that we didn’t get to see each other,” she lied convincingly, huffing and puffing for dramatic effect, “I get lonely without you, you know? I’d rather spend time here in this tiny apartment than schmoozing at parties. Escort me next time.”

“Is that it?” Kuro didn’t question things he didn’t know, which was one of the benefits of having an immortal boyfriend. “Just ask me next time and I’ll go.”

She smiled slightly. Just like that, everything was alright again.

“Senpai, if there’s any roleplays you’d like to engage in, I’ll be happy to comply!”

“No, you and your multiple personalities keep me entertained enough,” he laughed thankfully.

Kotoko reached up to pull his cheeks. The komainu surrounded them, comfortably on each of their shoulders. After a minute of punishment, she returned to the counter to watch him cook. For a second, a part of her thought about killing him, but he would just come back alive.

As he finished their lunch, Kotoko greeted the guests coming through the window as always. There was a curious case about schoolchildren being reported sick after visiting an abandoned classroom. She told them that she could see them in two weeks, and before they could rebuttal, Kuro’s face was enough to make them scurry away. She guessed that was another benefit of being with him.

Another client came, and went — then another, and  another . Kuro made dumpling soup, fried dumplings, and steamed dumplings in the meantime. By the time they closed the window, it was dinner, and she was tired.

Kotoko fell onto his bed, sighing loudly.

He asked, “Are you not hungry?”

She closed her eyes, waving a hand to him, encouraging, “Come lay with me a bit. I’ll nap faster if I have a warm presence beside me.”

“I’m starting to believe you only want me for my body,” he said, complying anyway. He laid down on his back, same as her, like they were two corpses in a dirt grave. “Just eat when you wake up. I’ll take you home afterwards. Your parents will worry.”

Kotoko rolled over, settling herself on his chest.

“Don’t you think that’s why I wanted a boyfriend? I needed an excuse to stay out later for cases,” she said, and though it was partly true, she only said it because she liked Kuro’s face. His eyes were so distant sometimes that the only way to bring him back was by annoyance. She liked that though.

“And here I thought I was making a good impression with them,” he frowned, brows knitted in the middle, “Did you tell them not to wait up, at least?”

She sat up, running her hands from his chest to his neck. She quickly remembered the other thing was irritating her, “They know not to worry. However, you shouldn’t be so lax. I’ve been thinking about how I was left on the ground on Christmas. You deserve to be  _ punished _ .”

“ _ Wait _ —Iwanaga, you’re spending the night?”

“Isn’t that obvious? We haven’t seen each other in so long, and we’ve just made several appointments until the semester starts,” she could feel herself glaring at him, but Kuro didn’t flinch. His eyes turned away, ignoring her. Did he have a death wish?

“B-But I don’t have an extra futon…”

“We don’t  _ need _ an extra futon. I’m sleeping in this bed with  _ you _ , Senpai!”

“ _ Huh?! _ ”

Kuro, freaking out for some reason, sat up quickly, knocking her on her back over his legs.

“You didn’t even bring a bag though?! What are you wearing to sleep?!”

Oh, was that it?

Kotoko considered it for a moment, scratching her chin as she stared at the ceiling. She decided, “You let me borrow your sweater when we took the train back last year. I was able to sleep comfortably in that. Can I borrow it? You said you do your laundry every week.”

“But I’m not ready!” he shouted, blushing like mad. Where did her cool Kuro suddenly go?

“Senpai, I know you’re not a virgin. Sleeping beside a woman shouldn’t have such a reaction,” the dense one said matter-of-factly. In the same monotone, she told the embarrassed man, “If we do indecent things, we’ll keep it to our hands and mouths. There’s no risking pregnancy  _ th _ — _! _ ”

Before she could finish her thought, a (well-deserved) pillow was being smothered on her beautiful face. As she kicked her legs, Kuro loosened the grip he had, letting her breathe. Kotoko postured herself onto her elbows, looking at man covering his face with his hands. He looked so sweet, and it made her wonder that maybe in another lifetime, a mortal Kuro was definitely less composed, and less easygoing to all the disaster around him. She thought of the younger him tripping over his little feet, and probably having an innocent hobby like looking at flowers.

_Ah_ , this was a different ache from earlier.

“Kuro-senpai, you don’t need to worry about me,” she assured him, moving onto her knees, and walking onto his lap. She removed his hands, and stared at him straightly. “I just wanted to spend time with you in a place we wouldn’t be bothered. We can do nothing, because even though it would be a waste, the purpose of this time is being with each other, correct?”

He raised a brow, but the corner of his mouth was turning upwards. In an uneasy voice, he said, “ _ You’re so manly _ .”

Kotoko smiled, playing with his hair and moving it out of his face. She let out a sigh, “Save your jokes, Senpai. You’ve just got to accept that there’s no escaping it. You’re falling madly in love with me, and by the time your heart’s ready, I’ve already had a monopoly of it!”

He finally let out a good laugh, “Spoken like a true heiress, huh?”

“There’s things that frighten me as well, you know,” she reminded him, still playing with his face. “You’ve never seen me without my glass eye, or my prosthetic on… I’m not really sure you’ll be able to handle my cute image looking like a broken doll.”

Kotoko flashed her biggest smile, even though it was probably a bit crooked. Maybe there was a bit of truth to that. She wasn’t one to let gossip bother her, but after her accident (and her lack of change), hearing whispers about her appearance certainly became irritable. She guessed that it didn’t help that her family’s solution was to put her in fancier dresses than accepting her new fate.

However, as usual with this man, the unexpected was always happening. He said no words, just a small peck on her neck, then her ear, grazing her jaw with his breath and tongue, and then kissing her on the lips. It didn’t take long until she was pressed against her back as his tongue dipped in and out of her mouth, tasting her and savoring it.

They kissed for a while with not an ounce of awkwardness in the air. To both their credits, the tension was built way before their first kiss. Hell, it was surprising that they even lasted that summer in the beginning months. For someone so fearsome, Kuro was warm. His skin was soft and smooth, but his body was surprisingly strong. He made sure to be as polite and demure as possible; however, it was obvious that wasn’t the only reason why he got stared at so much, gathering admirers in every direction.

Because despite how friendly he came across as, he was still a tall man with broad shoulders, beautiful collarbones, and big hands. A good personality wasn’t necessary for an attractive man like him, but it was definitely a bonus.

After a moment, Kuro lifted himself off of her, panting.

“I want to see it,” he pushed her hair out of her face, revealing her glass eye. “I want to see the real Kotoko… _please_ …”

“ _ Iwanaga _ ,” she corrected him, voice cracking. She turned away, using her arm to cover her eyes now. “Go fetch me a container with water, one with a lid… and turn off the light. I don’t want you to see me taking it off.”

“Yes,” he nodded, agreeable as ever.

Once Kuro was in the kitchen, she sat up, scratching her neck. The ghost of him still lingered on her body, and his scent was all over her skin. She decided with her prosthetic first, stripping off her socks, and folding them neatly at the end of the bed. First, she undid the leather garter that held her prosthetic up, undoing the belt and placing it neatly by her socks. Next, she pulled off the socket until her thigh was free, and unrolled the liner that was specially made for her leg.

Her skin wasn’t as smooth here as the rest of her body. The doctors said that her leg was already healing when they found her, so there was no point of tampering with it further. They wanted her to get a skin graft so it would be neater, but she didn’t care about it at the time. She just wanted to go assist the helpless yokai, and offer her services. It hadn’t been a big deal to her truthfully, but once, she overheard a nurse saying her leg looked like it was bitten off.

Kotoko then wondered if Kuro would’ve thought she was food to the gods that was spat back out.

As soon as she saw his shadow hovering behind her, glass jar in hand, she removed her eye swiftly, dropping it into the water. It freaked the nurses out that she did it so easily, but unlike most with the same predicament, her eye had been hollowed and dried out. She could’ve stored a diamond in her eye, and it wouldn’t have bothered her. Her glass eye was more decorative than anything. Kuro, however, didn’t have much a reaction.

He sat down, leaning over to put the jar by his windowsill. He glanced at it for a minute before turning to face her. His expression wasn’t upset or ashamed, but it wasn’t much of anything else either. Once they were face to face, Kotoko could only offer a small grin.

“I’m less your type now. Right, Senpai?”

Then there it was — his sweet, untainted smile. The one she actually fell in love with nearly a year ago, on the bench, giggling as he pissed her off. It was much more handsome than the one she saw at 15, when he was being polite just to be polite.

“I’ve been thinking that maybe it’s a good thing that you aren’t,” he kissed her quickly. “I like the person in front of me,” he kissed her again, “and I'll always like her the way she is now,” and again and  _ again _ .

Kuro delicately unbuttoned the front of her dress, and peeled it off her shoulders. She helped him out of his t-shirt, and bit by bit, they were kissing in their underwear. He ran one of his hands around her body, tugging and teasing until she made a sound in his mouth. His other hand was touching himself over his briefs. Their silence was deafening earlier, but now words just seemed to get in the way in this situation. However, she was reasonable at the oddest times.

“Senpai, when you said you weren’t prepared earlier, you said that because you don’t have any condoms. Am I right?” she moved her hair from her face. She usually didn’t sweat.

“I clean regularly I’m afraid,” he was lucky that he was cute. “Plus, I wasn’t planning on you spending the night at all. I thought a priestess had to be  _ pure _ .”

She pushed against him to pull his face apart, but her thighs felt something else entirely. Catching herself by wrapping her arms around him, Kotoko couldn’t resist grinding against him. It felt really nice, like a bit of electricity pulsing through her veins. Kuro’s moans were quiet, but beside her ear, the hotness of his breath and the sweetness of the sound were a deadly combination. She was getting frustrated and unsatisfied.

“What a shame. If you leave now to the convenience store, I can’t promise the mood being the same,” she was out of breath, and he was moving his hands along the curve of her back, beneath the fabric of underwear… separating them from her skin. Spoiled rotten, she told him, “Because I want you _now_.”

“Iwanaga, there’s something I’ve always wanted to try, if you’re up for it?”

Kuro looked different than before, less sugary, more spice. He looked mischievous. How could she not give into such an enticing face?

He moved her to his side, still holding her tightly as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Underneath his TV stand, he pulled on a drawer, reached for something, and then neatly closed the drawer right after. What he had in his hand didn’t match his proper image, however.

Kotoko took the box from him, inspecting the small device as he took off her bra, kissing her chest. Curious as ever, she asked, “You’re more perverted than I give you credit for, Senpai.”

“I’ve never used it before though,” he tried to excuse himself, but facts were facts. Her gentle, polite, and friendly Senpai was the possessor of a sex toy — and a common one, at that. It was small with a remote attached to it by wire. The packaging stated it was a bullet vibrator.

“I wouldn’t peg Saki-san to have such an item either,” she thought aloud.

“ _ Iwanaga _ ,” Kuro looked up at her, serious. “ _I’m_ the one who bought it, and you’re the only person I’ve shown it to. Ever. Don’t bring other people into this when it'll never concern them.”

She pushed his face together, asking him directly, “But what excuse would you have to enter an adult store if you were nothing but vanilla before me, Senpai?”

Kotoko wouldn't back down, because even if he tried, Kuro knew that there was no winning in this. He quickly came clean so they could move on to other things they've been waiting to do.

“Fine, you caught me. I bought it for my last Valentine’s Day,” he sighed, giving up, “I thought it would save my relationship, along with many other things, but you’re right. She wasn’t the type. She didn’t even want to kiss me anymore by then, so I was kidding myself.”

“ _Oh_ … _Senpai_ …”

Kuro, however, quickly dismissed any sympathy she wanted to offer.

“I don’t need your pity, Iwanaga. I really don't. Why I bought it isn't even crossing my mind. I just want to focus on you,” he said, ambitious once again. He then grabbed a handful of her hair, and pushed her gently to his lips. The urgency of him only asked for her to hold him tight. As they kissed, he took the package back, unwrapping it and tossing the plastic behind her back.

He didn't begin with the vibrator immediately. He just wanted to touch her as much as possible. As his hands moved from her hair, they traveled down her delicate sides. His thumbs played with her breasts until he guided them to his mouth, coating them in his saliva as he loved them fondly.

He was then touching her along her abs, grazing only slightly so she twitched at the anticipation of him touching her. His fingers traveled inside her underwear, pressing themselves against everywhere until he found her clit. Kotoko bit down her lip to not make any sudden sounds, but her desperate face only enticed him more. Again, she was over this family's _teasing_.

"You don't have to be so quiet," he said, reaching to kiss her lovely neck. "I like your voice."

They were face to face as he said the last sentence. She wanted to rebuttal, but it was getting hard to speak. Kuro then pressed her head against the crook of shoulder to tease her sensitive ears, licking them gently before he nibbled a bit. When her legs began to close at the sensation, he slowly inserted his finger, causing her to finally let out her taxed breath.

"Iwanaga, you have to relax. You're still too tight for me," he said, knowing fully well why she was at her wit's end.

"You're… such a… _jerk_ ," she barely mustered, and before she could feel satisfied, he removed his touch and let out a childish laugh.

Then just as she was going to complain some more, he kissed her. He kissed her deeply, holding onto her face. She'd never seen him so giddy before, and it was certainly a sight. Why did she want to preserve this part of him somewhere and keep it forever?

She was almost so touched that she forgot their current situation.

Because then, Kotoko felt his hands move back to where they were, and his fingers began running up and down the slit between her legs once more, dragging her wetness all over her thighs. He quickly maneuvered the vibrator between her and her underwear, against her clit, and then held her hips. Even on the lowest setting, her entire body was becoming sensitive.

“Straddle my thigh. You’ll feel better,” he instructed, moving her on his own anyway. Kuro guided her, teaching her hips how to move. The feeling was, well,  _ intense _ . It made her forget that he was supposed to be a novice in this. Eventually, she began to grind on her own, much to his pleasure. She could feel his eyes on her, looking up as his mouth opened.

Kuro dragged his tongue around her nipple, lapping it endlessly, making sure he was being seen. She could feel his smile on her skin as she moaned out loud, panting as she was struggling to hold up. Watching him only added to the fact that was getting harder and harder to breathe. It felt like she was  _ melting _ . Her fingers grasped onto his headboard, and she bit down her lip hard.

“Iwanaga… this is too much,” Kuro whispered, pushing his head back against the headboard and between her small arms. It was then she finally heard his hard breathing too. His arms wrapped around her tightly, pushing the vibrator against her more. She’d realize it later that he was becoming hard, and every pulse she felt, he felt it too.

Kotoko quickly pushed herself off, jumping with a hot face. She was coming close, but the feeling was unsatisfying. She wanted to be a part of him, not just adjacent. She spent so much thinking about it, and she would not waste this moment.

“ _ Kuro _ ,” her legs were wobbling. She couldn’t even be bothered with an honorific, “I want  _ you _ .”

"I want you too," he said, face red as he held a careless smile.

Kotoko then looked down, and the tip of his cock was suffering against the waistline of his briefs. They both watched it grow bigger, and watched her hand reach out to grab it gently. Her thumb rubbed his tip back and forth; and Kuro gritted his teeth. However, the smallest, most delicious, sound escaped his lips, encouraging her to go faster.

“Al— _ ah _ —right, I get it,” he reached for her hand back, kissing her knuckles. “Don’t push yourself.”

“You’re hard, Kuro-Senpai,” she pouted, “I want to make you feel good too.”

"It's not a competition, I'm afraid," he reminded.

"Can I touch you?" she asked softly, in a way that he'd never deny her.

“Can I… touch you too?” he asked back, however.

Kotoko then thought it was time for her own fantasies.

She stood up and gave him some time to lay his head down on his pillow, nodding positively when he got her wordless demand. As he watched, she slid off her underwear, feeling something dripping down her thighs. She stepped over him so he was now between her legs, and slowly, she lowered herself down, straddling his torso. She helped him out of his briefs, and he unhooked her bra. 

Happily, he watched a small drop of sweat drip from her spine. It reflected the moonlight in the most gorgeous way.

Her face then turned, her lovely profile in clear view for him. She wasn’t the least bit nervous. Even if she didn't know what she was doing, she loved him so much that all she wanted to do was touch him.

“Senpai, I’m not running away this time. I’ll see this through,” the heiress declared, as if it was law of the land.

“I'm assuming this is your fantasy … Tell me, how did a person like you get an idea like this?” he asked as he grabbed a hold of her hips, using his thumbs to spread her lips apart, watching her wetness drip from her thighs to his chest.

Of course, the love of her life could always read her mind. That’s what she adored about him.

"This really isn't fair," he stated, "I guess a height difference matters here too."

She only ignored him, not caring much of what he said. She only wanted to be diligent on his pleasure.

“I hope… you’ll advise me on your preferences,” her voice was incredibly soft, and with that, Kotoko leaned over, pumping him gently as she kissed it, waiting for him to asked for more. Kuro liked a tight grip, she learned, but he was struggling to actually say so. He was trying to hold himself back a bit, probably still considering her sake. 

She'd never tell him, but sometimes, Kotoko thinks that Kuro surprises himself. For someone who isn’t completely human, the immortal questioned himself a lot when it came to his actions and reactions, as if he was an actor waiting for the director's take. He thought too much of what he was supposed to do and how to feel that it made him forget that he was supposed to just simply experience these things.

She dragged her tongue along the shape of him before taking him in slowly. To her surprise, her usually gentle boyfriend bucked his hips for her to take him in deeper.  She wanted to ask him if he liked it, but even without her pondering aloud, she knew that he would immediately stop at the smallest sign of a protest. Even though it was more torturous for him, Kuro stayed still, possibly fearing that he was hurting her, or what he was doing was unforgivable. 

Kotoko wouldn't let him feel dissatisfied, however. For every time he would hold back, she would only push harder, even if it hurt. She wouldn't complain because Kuro deserved to be happy, even if it was momentary happiness. She wanted him to enjoy life, not simply wait in its shadows. Kotoko would do everything in her power to make sure he lived a fulfilled life.

She stayed quiet so he could enjoy himself without thinking too much, continuing to take him in her mouth until he made more of those lovely noises.  Here and there, his thighs twitched, so she tried to quicken her pace. 

"Iwanaga… slow down," he groaned as he threw his head back, "I really don't want to — _mmmhh_ — not yet, please…"

"Just let it out," she rose her head, "We can do it as many times as you want."

She continued pleasuring him, much to his protest, but if she was being honest with herself, Kotoko really didn’t know what she was doing. 

It wasn’t like the heiress was completely without porn, or even against it; but she refused to indulge in the more explicit outlets. She didn't like videos the shot on a casting couch (yuck), or purchasing nude magazines filled with no-name models that disappeared in the next issue. A few times she watched porn that had plots, but the obvious fake moans weren't really her taste.

So, because of that, she wasn't left with much to study with. Most of what she knew came from books, jokes she heard on stage comedies (mostly from rakugo), rumors she’d overhear, or simply the places she’d visit yokai for cases. A lot of brothels were in old buildings that dealt with even older ghosts, and usually, she didn’t hesitate to ask for the mechanics of the things they did (for her own curiosity).

The rest of it, however, came from her own head. There were a lot of wonderful and unfair situations she wanted to reenact with a lover once in her young life. Many more that she hoped to indulge with her current boyfriend but, well, she didn't have any grievances if he did ever leave her, and she had to find another participant.

"You don't have to hold back," she reminded him, indulging herself once more.

Because again, if she was being honest with herself, in the back of her mind, Kotoko still thinks that Kuro would leave her one day. Maybe out of politeness, maybe out of loyalty to Rikka, or maybe someday Saki would find it in her heart to take him back. The thought never really leaves her, but it's why she worked hard to make sure he was properly taken care of until then.

Kotoko figured that if it was going to hurt later anyway, then she wanted to make sure it hurt good enough to be worth the time.  Because unfortunately for the both of them, she was in love and she was drunk with the power of it.

" _Iwanaga_ ," Kuro struggled to keep his voice from coming undone. Nothing delighted her more.

So, maybe she didn’t know what she was doing, but Kotoko knew she loved Kuro. There was no part of her that could no longer deny that fact. There was no part of her that didn’t want to be connected with him at all times. Even now, with her tongue in places they’d usually keep to themselves, it wasn’t close enough. Kissing it, licking it, adoring it — she just wanted _more_ .

Kuro then pulled her thighs closer to his face, causing her to gag slightly at his tip. Before she could say anything, he spread her legs apart to taste her even further. Her back arched to lift herself off, but he was absolutely relentless. Her legs began giving out to the way he made her feel. Everything he did was desperate, and was crying out to be loved back. And she did, she so very much  _ did _ .

“Senpai, I really can’t… _believe_ … you don’t want to put this in me,” she said with a deep breath. She was stroking his cock with a firm hand, laying on his torso, unable to reach any further. She only gotten a chance to taste him again once Kuro began touching her, pressing against her walls until her legs gave her tell away. By then, there wasn’t much on her mind besides him moving his fingers in and out of her, and how the thing in front of her eyes could go even deeper. “Don’t I feel good against your fingers?”

Her determined boyfriend only ejaculated a tiny bit. The whiteness of it all dripped slowly down his shaft, looking glorious. He was still hard, and admittedly, it was impressive for a guy that hadn’t touched a woman in over a year.

Kuro then came up for air, still fingering her as he spoke, “Don’t be a tease. You’re the one dripping like a faucet here. Don’t you feel all of it running down your legs?”

“Because I want  _ you _ , Senpai. How else do you want me to prove it?” she told him.

He scoffed, embarrassed and red, “ _ Shut up _ .”

To her sudden dismay, Kuro then reached for the vibrator that was laying next to them. He lifted his hips to make it seem that it easier for her, but ultimately, it just brought her closer to _him_. Before she could say another word, he pressed the vibrating egg against her, and began licking her clit vivaciously. As her legs struggled to escape, he only increased his speed more.

The more she reacted, the more he bucked his hips in her mouth. Her beloved was such a pleaser that he couldn’t cum unless she was nearing her end.

Kotoko swung her entire body back as she felt her first orgasm by a lover. She held onto his headboard as an unfamiliar sound escaped her lips. 

Kuro held her thighs steadily as she grinded against his mouth, drowning him. Slowly, her own hands found themselves touching her chest, exploring her own skin to feel all her nerves jumping out from her pores. When her breath finally caught up to her, she began to collapse. Kuro caught her before she completely fell. She hadn't noticed that he had came all over his stomach and thighs.

He had a box of tissues behind his TV that came in handy. She didn’t even notice she had been laid neatly on the bed until he was sat up and wiping her legs clean. She tossed a glance over to look at him, making note of what he looked like when he was soft. Kuro then cleaned himself, gathering all the dirty tissues to throw away.

“You’re surprisingly fine with this,” he then said calmy as he finally noticed her. “It’s kind of late, but I take it that you’re still not hungry—” she moved to scratch her head, “—or maybe you are?”

“I feel like…” Kotoko yawned, rolling over to nuzzle up to the pillow, “I don’t know why, but you remind me of the rain, Kuro-senpai. It’s kind of nice.”

“Hmm?” he checked his face first before asking, “What makes you say that?”

“Because I like the rain,” the vigorous Goddess then made room for him lay back down, possibly to be her body pillow, “It feeds the flowers, washes away all the debris without needing to bother anybody, it’s peaceful, and it makes me feel calm.”

Kuro snorted softly, “You’re neither peaceful nor calm though.”

“Senpai, don’t ruin a beautiful moment like this.”

“Don’t make it someone else’s problem to take care of your flaws,” he settled beside her, letting his arm be useful to her.

“Marriages are all about lessening burdens for one another, even if we annoy each other!” she insisted as she pressed against him.

“So, you admit that you annoy me on _purpose_.”

“It’s a beautiful moment! A beautiful moment, Senpai!”

They both had laughed as they began to bicker quietly into the night, letting the wind from the open window cool them down. All the talking eventually tired her out, and before she could think about it, she was falling asleep on his shoulder, peacefully. Kotoko wasn't kidding when she said he reminded her of the rain, because the rain was her most favorite thing in the world.

The next morning, Kotoko woke up to being dressed in his sweater. Yesterday’s clothes were laundered, and folded at the end of the bed. 

She looked further and h is kitchen was clean. He had the skewers she requested on the counter, on a plate wrapped in plastic wrap. The komainu laid on the windowsill beside her, and from her ears, she could hear the shower was running. She made an important mental note that Kuro would be an excellent house husband one day, and that she should make an honest man out of him already.

The heiress rolled out of bed, not even thinking to clean it, and sat at the counter. She felt amazingly refreshed, and it put her in a relaxed mood. A few minutes later, Kuro came out in sweatpants and one of his strange t-shirts. He jumped a bit when he'd seen that she moved.

"You almost gave me a heart attack," her boyfriend said, clutching his chest. When he was over it, he began making his bed without much acknowledgment. He knew that Kotoko was going through her notes from yesterday anyway.

"Kuro-senpai, wouldn't that cake you bought taste delicious with some coffee?" she asked without looking up.

"Yes, but I made you food so eat that first," he said dully, walking over to heat up the kettle.

He ended up serving her the cake and cup of coffee, anyhow.

Kotoko then looked down, quickly reading the writing in red icing, and going pale.

"Yesterday was Valentine's Day?"

"Nope," Kuro settled in the seat across from her, answering back nonchalantly, "Today is."

Kotoko opened her mouth, ready to apologize, but then she quickly shut it as Kuro went about eating his breakfast normally.

She narrowed her eyes.

Did he even care?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (⁄ ／⁄•⁄‿⁄•⁄ ⁄\\) :｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆
> 
> thank you for reading if you made it this far!!
> 
> i am...... plenty embarrassed after writing smut so i hope its ok!!
> 
> bACK TO THE CAVE 
> 
> ∠( ᐛ 」∠)_

**Author's Note:**

> ( #´ ▽ `# ).｡ｏ♡
> 
> brb i gotta go hide in my cave bc i am EMBARRASSED 
> 
> thank you for anyone who's read this!!
> 
> it is a multi-chapter piece so stay tuned~!!


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